Village Goes Green and New Business Comes to Town

Wind Turbine and Multi-Family Recycling Ordinances Approved 

The Grayslake Village Board passed ordinances that will help Grayslake be a little more eco-friendly. The board approved amending the village’s current Zoning Ordinance to allow for small wind energy systems in non-residential areas within the village.

Derek Soderholm, Grayslake assistant manager, said the legislation will help qualifying non-residential property owners take advantage of the benefits of wind-generated electricity.

“With respect to [small wind energy systems], they are becoming more prevalent,” he said.

The village has no active requests yet, he said, but did approve two on the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers’ property, located on Route 45 and Casey Road, last year.

Rhett Taylor, Grayslake mayor, said the ordinance requires special use permits per installation at the board’s March 1 meeting.

The village also approved a building code amendment that will make recycling an easier option for residents of new multi-family buildings. Instead of having to lug recyclables such as plastics, paper and aluminum to the first floor residents will be able to dispose or sort through waste on the floor they live on. Separate recycling chutes, or separate rooms for the sorting and storing of recyclables will now be required on each floor of these buildings.

The village believes the legislation will motivate more eco-friendly practices. Taylor said, “The intention behind the ordinance is to make recycling easier and more available to residents in order to increase recycling participation.”

Soderholm said multi-family buildings are apartment, condominium and mix-use buildings, where the floors below the apartment or condo are used for commercial or business purposes.

The ordinance also amends the construction standards for dumpster enclosures and reaffirms village procedures that require enclosures be constructed of masonry walls of 6 to 8 feet in height, along with a solid gate fence and enough space to house both refuse and recycling containers.

LM Consultants Move Will Contribute Revenue to Local School Districts and Create Jobs

The one-story building on Whitney Street that was once a sandwich shop and then an art gallery will be the new site of the corporate headquarters for the architectural and engineering consulting firm LM Consultants.

Taylor said the move will create jobs and at build-out the expansion will contribute approximately $38,220 annually in shared revenue to School Districts 127 and 46.

“The building will employ 25 people with potential growth to 35,” he said.

The village approved a special ordinance to expand the one-story building from 6,000 square feet to more than twice its size at approximately 14,700 square feet.

Chic Martin, LM Consultants senior project manager, said the move from its current corporate office in Vernon Hills to its Grayslake property made sense because it is centrally located for all of the firm’s employees.

Construction is set to begin within a month and the move is expected to take place toward the end of the year, he said.

Village Approves Proclaiming Women’s History and Fair Housing Months

The village approved declaring March Women’s History Month and April Fair Housing Month.